HBCU-UP: EAGER: Cortical Organoid-Vasculature Intelligence

The National Science Foundation Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) supports projects that enhance undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and research at HBCUs, as means to broaden participation in the nation's STEM workforce. Brain vessels play a crucial role in regulating the passage of substances between the bloodstream and the brain, preventing harmful substances from entering the brain. This vasculature directly communicates with the neuronal system in the brain. Understanding the crosstalk between the neuronal system and vasculature is vital for maintaining the health and function of the nervous system. The goal of this project is to establish a platform in organoid-vasculature intelligence, providing new insights into the direct communication between organoids and vasculature integrated with a machine learning model. This will be achieved through the systematic integration of a microfluidic organoid-vascular tissue construct, microelectrode array recording/stimulation, and machine learning models. The project has two specific objectives 1) Develop a microfluidic cortical organoid-vasculature platform using iPSC-derived multiple cell types such as endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells, systematically integrated with a microelectrode array and 2) Apply an artificial neural network model of organoid-vasculature intelligence. The outcomes of this research will yield: 1) an understanding of the role of each cell type in neurovascular function including vascular smooth muscle cell, 2) new insights into neuron-vasculature crosstalk with organoid-vascular smooth muscle cell-endothelial cell interactions, 3) blood flow regulation mechanism, 4) a machine learning model to control vascular function, and 5) innovative concepts showcasing the interface between organoid intelligence and machine learning for the first time. The broader impacts include developing an interdisciplinary training program to enhance education, diversity, and outreach at the interface between bioengineering, artificial intelligence, and biological sciences. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.